The Southern herald., 1887-10-08
A WESTERN ADVENTURE.
How ny Stupidity Came Near
Costing Me MY Life.

have knocked about o good deal in
my time. from doubling Cape Horn as
sailor, to digging gold as miner
and fighting Indians as a scout, and
yet the closest escape ever had from
death was with my eyes wide open and
through my own stupidity. Early in
the seventies. was down in the Indian
Territory buying horses for shipment
East. had partner, and we travelled
with our own teamin acovered wagon.
That Territory isn't any too peaceful
now, but In 1928 you not only wanted
trusty rifle with you. but you wanted
the .knack Of dropping your man first.
Travelling from ranch to ranch as we
did, with every body knowing that we
had money to buy horses with, our sit
uation was one requiring constant Wig
lance. There was never q night that
both Of US slept at once, and never a
day that we were not on the watch fol-
some plan to get the better of us. In
one trip of three months we had five
different watch dogs poisoned, and fin
ally gave up trying to keep one. You
might imagine that it would have
been worth while for some of the pred
atory bands roaming the country to
make an open attack upon us, but the
fellows reasoned differently. A couple
Of men armed with Winchesters and
reyolvers, and determined to defend
their own at any cost are antagonists
not to be despised. Your Western
outlaw, with very few exceptions, is
just as careful about getting bullet
into his body as any one else.
One day in July. while we were on
the north fork of the Canadian river,
and about twenty miles below Shaw
neetown, one Of the horses in ouI
team was bitten by q rattlesnake
was driving. and saw the snake as II
lifted itself from the grass and bit the
horse twice on the leg. 1t was a hot
day, the horses well heated up. and
the poison took effect very soon. We
had no remedy for it, but were com,
peeled to stand by and see the animal
suffer and die. It wasn't quite an
hour after he was struck before he was
dead In buying horses we stipulated
Tor delivery at certain points. and
thus had no spare ones with us. Tc
make our team whole one of us must
take the other horse and ride off and
make q purchase. / had been oyel
the route before. and ] knew that the
nearest ranch was twelve miles up the
river. It was now four o'clock in the
afternoon, and we were within half Z
mile Of the stream and in wild and
lonely district Of country. We had
with Us in a tin box in the wagon
over four thousand dollars IL
gold, and the misfortune tC
our horse naturally increased
our anxieties. My partner insisted
that ] should be the one to remain will
the wagon, andhe had no sooner moved
away than ] began to make thing;
secure The very first move was to
take the tin box from the wagon and
bury it in the ground under the
vehicle. and after that ! staked out the
horse, saw that every tirearm was.in
good order and beat around the
camp to drive away any reptiles lurk-
ing about.
There was no use in expecting Pat
ton. my partner. back before eight
clock OF later. He would doubtless
ind suitable horse at the first ranch,
but the ranchmen might be away. oil
fhnre were q dozen other reasons "a
call i0r delay. We carried provisions
with Us, and at about six o clock
built q fire and prepared my supper,
and Was about to begin eating when
caught sight Of horse and rider ap-
preaching camp from the northwest.
Tho ground was open for three or four
miles. end as had glass with me ]
made ont. while The horse was yet q
mile and half away. that he bore d
woman on his back Had she been q
squaw the sight would not have occa-
stoned surprise, but the first look
proved that she was white and that her
horse was iaded and coming slowly.
AS ! held tho glass on her ] saw her
lufn and look hack. as ono pursued,
md 1ss4as 1{nfnfH eI.a raanhnd mo had